Equatorial Guinea is home to five of the seven species of sea turtles that exist throughout the world, along with a number of institutions dedicated to preserving the country’s large population of sea turtles.
One of the institutions devoted to protecting the species is Sea Turtles of Equatorial Guinea (TOMAGE), which is a public organization under the Institute for Forest Development and Management of Protected Areas with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
TOMAGE works along the coast searching for endangered eggs to protect in prefabricated nests that are monitored in order to ensure that the hatchlings survive. They also perform training, analysis, data collection and scientific studies with the support of similar agencies such as Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program and the School of Environment at the National University of Equatorial Guinea.
Maintaining these partnerships is essential for preserving Equatorial Guinea’s rich biodiversity. In addition to its collaboration with the organizations above, Equatorial Guinea is a member of the Commission for the Conservation of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa and is involved in the United Nations Environment Program.
Equatorial Guinea’s efforts to protect its endangered species and preserve its ecosystems and biodiversity are essential elements of President Obiang’s environmental reform, which he introduced at the 2010 Global Forum in South Africa.